In the US, roughly one in ten homes are damaged each year due to natural disasters. And with inclement and extreme weather increasing in frequency year on year, being able to prepare your home for what Mother Nature throws at it can help you to protect yourself, your family, your home, and everything you own from damage as much as possible.
For homes that are in a flood risk area, being able to get to safety quickly is paramount to help you avoid becoming trapped in swift-rising and fast-moving water. Floods can cause massive loss of life, so staying safe is the aim here.
However, once the waters have receded and you can go back to your property to survey the damage, bear these tips in mind to help you approach the cleanup and bring order back to your home and life.
Stay Calm
Depending on the level of the flood waters and the damage caused, it's likely your home will suffer somewhat in this event. Staying calm and thinking rationally isn't always easy to do, but it can help you assess what needs to be done, what you can save, and what your next steps should be. Water damage needs time to dry, and at this moment, there isn't much you can do until this has occurred.
Turn Utilities Off
Not everyone has the chance to turn their utilities off prior to evacuation or even go home before a flood event occurs. If this is the case, make sure your gas, electricity, and water supplies have been shut off when you can go back home to avoid any further damage to your home or people venting onto the property to help with the cleanup efforts.
Document Everything
Take as many pictures or videos as possible to present to your insurance company or contractor or show them the scale of the damage and get an idea of the costs to rectify anything that needs it post-flood. If you have a flood policy in place, you must present the evidence to make a claim, so visual documentation is vital to support this.
Reach Out for Help
Turn to friends, family, charitable organizations, or any state or federal assistance offered at this time to help you start the cleanup after flooding and the process of getting your home and your life back to normal. It's going to be a challenging and potentially lengthy period, depending on the damage your property sustained, so getting as much help as possible can make things much easier for you.
Get Quotes
From here, you need to start looking for quotes for repairing your home. As mentioned, water damage can take some time to dry, so Water Damage Restoration companies can be helpful in these scenarios to help you with water extraction, structural drying, and more. From here, you can then get the appropriate contractors in to help you fix any damage, give your home stability, and make it habitable again.
Living through a flood can be a stressful and heartbreaking time. While nothing can replace what might be lost during this natural weather incident, you can approach the aftermath efficiently to give you the best chance of recovery and rebuilding your home.
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